We have all visited beautiful layouts boasting meticulous track, detailed motive power and rolling stock, hundreds of citizens, large swaths of beautiful trees, and lots of buildings. Somewhere along the line, you start to recognize some of the structures as kits everyone has purchase...

The first annual Gateway Division Paper Diorama Contest concluded at the January 21, 2014 division meeting. Tom Trotter, Tim Stout, and John Carty describe the construction of their contest winning models....

A mobile substation car provides power to the overhead traction wire in order to keep trains running while line crews conducted repairs to a substation or other power source. Since I model the East St. Louis & Suburban Railway System in HO scale, such a car provides a unique piece of ...

Everyone seems to enjoy dinner and a movie, and every town during the golden age of cinema boasted at least one movie theater even if it was just a Nickelodeon. This theater and restaurant were built using Uncle Al’s Grocery sold by Model Power as a starting point. This is an easy kit...

Maintenance of way equipment keeps the trains running. Railroads built most such equipment by repurposing or building in their own shops. Find out how to kitbash an interesting item commonly used by streetcar lines from the teens through the fifties using a Highway Miniatures 1922 Pac...

When finishing a model automobile, Sharpies provide a translucent semi-gloss finish which nicely mimics the enamel paint used on prototype vehicles. When applied to paper used for awnings on buildings, Sharpies provide a flat water resistant color....

Railroads take great pains to ensure shipments arrive at their destination intact, especially hazardous materials. Find out how to replicate these efforts on your model railroad, as well as the forces acting on trains....